PIZZA DOUGH
Recipe courtesy of Chris Bianco
Chef Tandy Wilson, of City House in Nashville, recommends using the dough recipe from Chris Bianco, famed Chef/Owner of Pizzeria Bianco in Phoenix Arizona. The recipe below is from his cookbook -- Bianco: Pizza, Pasta, And Other Food I Like.
INGREDIENTS
-
Extra virgin olive oil, for greasing the bowl
METHOD
-
Combine the yeast and warm water in a large bowl. Give the yeast a stir to help dissolve it, and let it do its thing for 5 minutes. You’re giving it a little bit of a kick- start, giving it some room to activate, to breathe.
-
When the yeast has dissolved, stir in 3 cups of the flour, mixing gently until smooth. You’re letting the flour marry the yeast. Slowly add 2 cups more flour, working it in gently. You should be able to smell the yeast working— that happy yeast- y smell. Add the salt. (If you add the salt earlier, it could inhibit the yeast’s growth.) If necessary, add up to 1/2 cup more flour 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring until the dough comes away from the bowl but is still sticky.
-
Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and get to work. Slap the dough onto the counter, pulling it toward you with one hand while pushing it away with the other, stretching it and folding it back on itself. Repeat the process until the dough is noticeably easier to handle, 10 to 15 times, then knead until it’s smooth and stretchy, soft, and still a little tacky. This should take about 10 minutes, but here, feel is everything. (One of the most invaluable tools I have in my kitchen is a plastic dough scraper. It costs next to nothing, and it allows me to make sure that no piece of dough is left behind.)
-
Shape the dough into a ball and put it in a lightly greased big bowl. Roll the dough around to coat it with oil, then cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rest in a warm place until it doubles in size, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. When you press the fully proofed dough with your finger, the indentation should remain.
-
Turn the proofed dough out onto a floured work surface and cut it into 4 pieces. Roll the pieces into balls and dust them with flour. Cover with plastic wrap and let them rest for another hour, or until they have doubled in size.
-
The dough is ready to be shaped, topped, and baked. If you don’t want to make 4 pizzas at a time, the dough balls can be wrapped well and refrigerated for up 8 hours or frozen for up to 3 weeks; thaw in the refrigerator and let come to room temperature before proceeding.
Recipe courtesy of Chris Bianco from his cookbook: Bianco
Blog posts
COWBOY CAULDRON PIZZA
As Mike Bertelsen of the Cowboy Cauldron Company puts it, making your own pizza is “bonehead easy,” especially over one of his epic firepits and using a cast-iron pan as a de facto pizza stone. Consider these grilled pies, especially with a handful of fresh basil and other goods from the garden, your new go-to for summer.
DOGWOOD FARM ASPARAGUS TART
After a long cold winter, there are few fleeting rites of spring as joyful as a bunch of bright asparagus. Chef Harley Peet used to live on this seasonal tart’s namesake farm in Maryland, where his restaurants still source their eggs and vegetables.
STRAWBERRY COBBLER WITH BLACK PEPPER-CORNMEAL BISCUIT
Finally! Spring brings strawberry season, and we’d be lying if we said we haven’t been waiting all winter to pluck a few pieces of fruit from the garden and, eventually, bake the excess into turnovers, cobblers, and pies. This recipe from Milk Glass Pie’s Keia Mastrianni has all the charm of her Southern home in North Carolina, and best of all, captures that sweet, so-needed feeling of warmer days ahead.
Shop All Cookware
Got this recipe from a friend? Sign up below so you never miss a recipe.
